Breeding, grooming and kennel management

Alex Gough
Wiley-Blackwell; 2nd Edition (25 Jun 2010)
ISBN-10: 1405180781
ISBN-13: 978-1405180788

This is an interesting reference book for people who see dogs or cats from a lot of different breeds. If you just want to know about a particular breed, you are better off getting it from the library, rather than buying it. It covers medical problems for most dog breeds, though not all breeds are covered. You will need to supplement this book with online research if you plan to become a breeder specialising in one or two breeds, because books like this can become dated very quickly. There is less on cats than dogs, partly because there are fewer cat breeds, and, as with dog breeds, not all cat breeds are listed. How useful this book is, then depends on what you want it for, and it does need to be supplemented by other sources.

Dan Rice
Barron's Educational Series Inc.,U.S.; 2 edition (1 Dec 2008)
ISBN-10: 0764138871
ISBN-13: 978-0764138874

This is a very popular and accessible guide to breeding, especially suitable for first-timers. It is quite comprehensive, covering topics, such as your responsibilities as a breeder, how to choose the dogs you breed from, surveys of inherited canine health problems, and the care of bitches, whelping, and possible problems, and care of of the pups when they are born. There is also help with nutrition for both bitches and pups. You will probably need something a little more in-depth if you plan to breed from dogs on a regular basis, but this is an excellent introduction to the topic.

Margaret H. Bonham
John Wiley & Sons (11 April 2006)
ISBN-10: 0471773905
ISBN-13: 978-0471773900

Margaret Bonham has written a helpful book for people just starting out, who need to know the basics about grooming. It is useful if you want to groom your own dogs rather than pay an arm and a leg to take them to be groomed.

However, if you want to become a professional groomer, you need a more in-depth book.

J.M. Evans
Ringpress Books Ltd; New edition (Oct 1997)
ISBN-10: 9781860540233
ISBN-13: 978-1860540233
ASIN: 1860540236

This is an exceptionally useful book for anyone with a bitch, though it is more useful if you have an entire bitch and want to breed from her. It deals with all aspects of caring for bitches, and what to expect during seasons, as well as providing help for people who are breeding from their bitch. It is very clearly written, and easy to understand, which is important if you are a first-time breeder. The Book of the Bitch is a classic, and deservedly popular.

Sue Dallas, Diana North and Joanne Angus
Wiley-Blackwell (13 April 2006)
ISBN-10: 1405111836
ISBN-13: 978-1405111836

This book is aimed at groomers, breeders and owners, and people who are taking the City and Guilds 775 Grooming exam, as well as students of animal care. It is a much more in-depth guide than Grooming for Dummies, and includes detailed guidance on how to do specific haircuts.

There is also information on skin care, skin parasites, and other issues that groomers need to know about. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to do more than groom their own pooch.

M S Harris
Dogwise; Pap/DVD edition (1 Aug 2010)
ISBN-10: 9781929242245
ISBN-13: 978-1929242245
ASIN: 1929242247  

´Puppy Intensive Care' is quite pricey for such a short book, but is well worth the money if you plan on breeding more than one litter, because of the wealth of information which it provides. This book can help to save pups' lives if anything out of the ordinary happens, so can pay for itself very quickly.

David Key (Author), Gwen Bailey (Author), Kay Key (ed)
David Key Kennel and Cattery Design (31 Mar 2008)
ISBN-10: 0953800229
ISBN-13: 978-0953800223

Probably the best book around for anyone planning on modernising their kennels, or building new kennels. It is very well illustrated, and has clear instructions. David Key is highly experienced at designing and building kennels. Gwen Bailey is well known for her writing on dog training and behaviour, and for her work in rescue. The book includes case studies from around the world, including the Dogs Trust, San Francisco SPCA, and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. The book both focuses on practical build and design issues, and on welfare, and is useful for people who board dogs, as well as breeders, and people who work in rescue.

Fiona Mackenzie
How To Books Ltd (17 Oct 2008)
ISBN-10: 1845282892
ISBN-13: 978-1845282899

Many people would like to work with dogs, but are not sure where to start. One of the most accessible ways to earning a living with dogs is to become a petsitter or a dog walker. You need expertise with the kinds of dogs you look after, common sense, and respect for the owner's wishes. This book gives a lot of help for anyone wanting to be a petsitter or dog walker on a regular basis. There's advice on a range of topics, such as advertising, sample contracts, and pet first aid. There are also accounts of what might go wrong, including some funny anecdotes. The book is clearly written, and an enjoyable read even if you decide pet sitting is not for you.

George Padgett
Hungry Minds Inc
ISBN: 0876050046

A very useful book for anyone who wants to breed from their dog and cares about producing healthy pups. It is geared to the US market, but the practical advice given is helpful for UK breeders as well. Padgett provides a clear explanation of how diseases can be inherited, and how to analyse pedigrees, without overwhelming you in theory.

David Brian Plummer
Tideline Publications Promotions (29 Jan 2008)
ISBN-10: 1906486263
ISBN-13: 978-1906486266

An excellent introduction to dog breeding, and more up-to-date than Grossman's book. This is a very helpful book, but still doesn't give enough information for a would-be breeder, who, at the very least, should scan George Padgett's work on genetic diseases. Even so, this is well-written, and designed to give would-be breeders more confidence in choosing the right parents, and tackling the problems most likely to crop up.

 Frank Jackson
The Crowood Press
ISBN: 1861263287

This is an up-to-date guide to breeding dogs which gives a bit more detail than Plummer's and Grossman's works. There's a good discussion of genetics, and help with the practical aspects of breeding and whelping. Again, would-be breeders need a thorough understanding of genetics, and this work alone is not enough to equip would-be breeders for selecting the best dogs to breed from, though it does a pretty good job of explaining the basics.

Muriel Lee
TFH Publications
ISBN: 0793804973

Muriel Lee has written an extremely helpful book for anyone with a pregnant bitch or very young pups. It's very clearly written, with good illustrations, and emphasises the enjoyable aspects of whelping and raising pups, as well as giving help with the most common problems that owners are likely to encounter. It's well worth investing in this book if your bitch is pregnant, and it is probably the best such guide around for novices. Anyone planning on mating a bitch does need more information, since the strength of this book is in its advice on what to do once the bitch has been mated.

David Cavill (Author
Kogan Page; 4 edition (3 July 2008)
ISBN-10: 0749453303
ISBN-13: 978-0749453305

This is an excellent introductory guide for people planning on setting up a boarding kennels, both because of the practical help it offers, and the discussion of the ethical issues involved. It is up-to-date and clearly written. There are very many issues to think about if you want to set up a boarding kennels, and this book helps owners to be realistic about the pitfalls involved, and gives advice on tackling any problems that may arise.

Joel Mcmains
Howell Books
ISBN: 1582451516

There is a lot of help with the practical aspects of setting up a kennels, including designing and building the facilities, as well as managing them. There is also a good discussion of the ethical issues involved, and readers are deterred from venturing into kennels purely as a business, without thinking of the ethics involved. This is a very helpful book for novices, and for people already in the business. It is geared to a US audience, so readers need to supplement this book with up-to-date knowledge of the relevant UK or European regulations, but most of the content is relevant outside the US.